The sales consultant pulled out a tray of rings. After looking at one ring and returning it to the woman, Perley took a second ring and ran toward the door, but it was locked, police said.

When staff confronted him at the door, they said Perley put his hand to his mouth and swallowed the ring, police said.

Perley denied any wrongdoing and consented to an initial search of his person, but the missing ring was not found. The missing ring was described as a 14-k white gold ring with princess cut diamonds that was valued at $3,200.

After a search warrant was later granted, Perley was taken to Elliot Hospital, where X-rays confirmed the presence of a ring matching the stolen ring inside his body.